Disinfecting system for swimming pools



Patented May 14, 1946 j f .inrsINFEc'rINGsYsTEM D uA Geil,

'Isabella B.Romans,:NewyaNfYL ,i ``Applicationllecember6,.

` ('Clzl-e-ll) Ti y -14 Claims.

vThis invention relates toswimming pool purication systems and isdirected particularlyto 'the utilization of water disinfectant features of f such systems to provide improved antiseptic foot baths. L Ity is nowgenerally recognized thatr certain infectious ailments,` particularly the fungus inl fection Aknown as athletes.`foot, are commonly vtransmitted bythe floors inand around lswimming pools andfshowers.` To prevent and remedy `such infections itjis common practice, required by law in some fjurdisdictions, lto kpro- "vide antiseptic .foot baths,adjacentv pools and Y showers into' which vba'thers 'may' step.Y As such foot baths must be emptied,v1led and charged with antiseptic at frequent intervals in orderv to keep them'clean and to maintain the necessary concentration of antiseptic', they are lgenerally provided in the form of movable shallowl troughs usually made of rubber. These Ytroughs however are awkward and inconvenient in use particularly because of their tendency to trip careless bathers. Y

There are moreover certain limits of eective concentration of the antiseptic in such foot baths; and the present system makes itdicult in practice to maintain thev concentration .within such limits. This, is: particularly truewhen the foot baths are used by av largenumberof persons, since each use'depletes theantiseptic. -z This is particularly true where chlorine, hypochlorite and thev like are employed.' 'I-'roughs vo f the present type therefore require systematic and relatively frequent attentionif they are to remain effective and sanitary; Moreover, a spe'- 'cial supply of foot bath antisepticmust .be kept on hand. A 1 Y A purpose of the. invention is to provide an antiseptic foot bath in whichjantisepticl-.of the proper concentration may. be conveniently provided and maintained. Thisis in general accomplished by utilizing a particular type .of swimming pool purification system c. to provide the necessary water charged'with disinfectant for the foot bath. The Linvention contemplates. therefore the combination of Va swimming pool Water purification system .with an antiseptic foot bath arrangement in a single system providing material improvement in the effectiveness, convenience and servicing requirements of the foot bath arrangement without materially affecting the normalroperation of the pool puriiication system.

The invention is particul arly applicable nto swir'n'ming pool water purification systems of the lrecirculating type in which the pool wateris continuously recirculatedthrough a purification 4cycle inl which lit is filtered, treatedwwith disinfectant and vreturned to the pool, and espe- Yciallyto thetypejof ,such system in which the 4disinfectr-inrl is first addedto a small fraction ,of theH recirculating stream,A such `fraction being thenreturned to and mixed with the main body `off water. Thissystem has proven especially effective for thegrapid yand uniform disseminationV of/small quantities of disinfectantin large mames @waer- .l 1

vj Ip thisry'arrangement thereare twol independent 'factorswhich"affectfthe concentration of the disinfetantfOneisj 'the proper concentration Yfori'he pool;` the other is the proper concentrationfor the foot bath. Public health 'authorities have established standards whichyfix the limits -o'fvtheratefof disinfectant addition to swimming pool water; .andit is rgeneral practice to maintain the rate of disinfectant supply as close as maybepractical toftheminimum of Suchrequirement's,Y partly for economy, but principally 'because of the adverse effect of larger proportions of disinfectant upon leathers. The ratev of disinfectant addition for proper purication of the pool wateris therefore xedwithin `narrow limitsr under any given conditions;

' However, the concentration of antiseptic in 'the foot bath must Aalso be maintained within certain ylimits which are established by entirely ,-diie'r'ent"considerations, namely, the maintenance ofthe `concentration above the 'mini- .mum which will be effective for combating foot infections and below a maximum which might be objectionable or even injurious. In this in- -stance Ait is desirableto keep the concentration .well above the minimum so as to assure eirective Iand rapid germicidal action." The proper foot bath concentration is necessarily much greater than that required or permitted for swimmingA 4pool waterpurication. A feature of the visiofnfof a vsystemin wlfiichthese independent requiremeilts offantiseptic concetration can both be '-=.a,tisiie i;l and 'a specific feature is the provisionv offanarrangement whereby eitherconcentration may be varied without necessitating a lperrrxanent vvchange in vthe other concentration. This is in general accomplished by utilizing .the vindicated system of pool water purification'fin which the disinfectant is added lfirst sto; fag-,fraction of `:the recirculating'strea'm. The Ainvention does not .materially affect the invention vis ...the prorate of disinfectant addition, which is the same as that established by present practice, determined solely by the requirements of the swimming pool water, and which may be varied or adjusted in the usual manner.

With the present practice however, the rate of now or volume of the fraction of circulating water with which the disinfectant is initially mixed is determined solely by mixing requirements, including the thorough distribution of the antiseptic initially in such fraction of the stream and the subsequent thorough mixing of the. treated fraction with the remainder of the,

In the present system, however, the

stream. relative volume of the water fraction is determined by the desired concentration of the foot f bath; and for this purpose such volume or rater. of flow must be properly proportioned to the `justing the volume of the treated fraction; and

lwhen the rate of antiseptic feed is varied to meet changes in pool requirements, a corresponding change in the volume of the treated fraction will maintain the same foot bath concentration.

In a particularly advantageous form of the invention, a constant flow of the treated fraction of water through the foot bath is maintained.

This arrangement not only maintains the opl tirnum concentration of antisepticat all times, but also keeps the foot bath in a highly sanitary condition with a minimum of attention. These results moreover are obtained without material expense after the system is installed, since the regular pool purification system is utilized.

The maintenance of a proper concentration of disinfectant in the foot bath is particularly valuable when it is desired to use chlorine, hypochlorite, chloramine and the like, which are subject to more rapid reduction in concentration by the use of the foot bath than are certain other types of disinfectant or fungicide, 'I'he invention therefore includes provision of a system in which the chlorine-containing disinfectant employed for pool water purification may likewise be utilized in the foot bath without requiring frequent additions to prevent undue depletion of the antiseptic and consequent ineffectiveness of the bath.

Other objects and advantages appear from the following description presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic now-sheet of an embodiment of the invention.

In the illustrated arrangement the water from the swimming pool IU is circulated at a suitable rate through a main ,passage II by means of pump I2 and passes through a filter or filter system I3 before returning to the pool. A fraction of the water in passage II is diverted intoV a parallel or shunt passage in which it is mixed with the disinfectant and returned to passage I I. In the form illustrated the shunt passage includes branch passage I4 into which a fraction of the water from passage I'I ows, and return passage I5 through which such fraction is returned to passage II, a suitable pump I6 in passage I5l maintaining the required now through the shunt passage system.

Suitable means is provided for introducing disinfectant into the shunt passage at a carefully regulated rate, apparatus for this purpose being in general use and indicated diagrammatically in the drawing. This includes a disinfectant supply Il, a pumpV I8 connected to the supply and discharging into passage I4, and means for regulating the rate of feed of disinfectant, indicated diagrammatically as Valve I9 in line 20 connecting the disinfectant supply I'I with the pump I8 and the passage I4. Passage I4 discharges into foot bath 23; and if desired the disinfectant from supply I'I may be introduced directly into the feed side of the foot bath by suitable means, the illustrated arrangement employing gravity feed through line 24 controlled by valve 25.

The illustrated arrangement is adapted to be used either yfor periodic filling, emptying and replenishment of the foot bath 23, or for the provision of a continuous now of disinfectantcharged Water through the bath. Where the latter arrangement is employed the foot bath 23 is provided with a discharge passage 26 communicating with passage I5. When it is desired to employ an intermittentsystem, passage 26 is closed by means of valve 21 and the water from passage I4 is normally diverted through by-pass 28` into passage I5 byv means of three-way valve 29; When it is desired to replenish the foot bath V23Hitslcontents are discharged to waste by opening valve 30 in wastepipe 3|; and after the bath isjy drained valveV 30 is closed andvalve 29 is turned appropriately to fill the foot bath 23 with freshwater containing disinfectant, after which valve 29 is again turned to direct the flow from passage I4 through by-pass 28.

Suitable means is advantageously provided for regulating thenow through passage I4. This may be accomplished in various ways as by the use of a suitable pump; but a simple construction is illustrated, employing valve 32. It is of course understood that pump I6 is of the adjustable type and is regulated to return the water from the shunt system at the proper rate.

With the system illustrated it will be apparent vthat the rate of disinfectant feed from supply I? may be adjusted in accordance with present practice to satisfy the requirements of the water entering the main passage I I while the concentration ofr disinfectant in foot bath 23 may be adjusted independently of the rate of disinfectant addition by suitable manipulation of valve 32 or other now controlling means in the shunt passage system.

Itshould be noted that while various connections and devices for providing different types of control and flow have been illustrated in a single system for convenience, the arrangement is such that the particular combination considered desirable for a given installation may be .selected and theI remaining features may be dispensed with. Moreover, While only a single foot bath 'has been illustrated,Y itwill be apparent that the system is adapted to supply a plurality of foot baths, and that different systems for providing the water and disinfectant to different foot baths in such a series may 'readily be employed. Certain features of the system as disclosed are moreover applicable to the supply of water and disinfectant to foot baths apart from treatment of swimming pool water, and may be employed for `providing an antiseptic foot bath water supply either in connection with the disinfection of water other than that used in swimming pools, orindependently of the disinfection of swimming pool or other water supply.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not Wish,

however, to be confined to the embodiments' shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A disinfecting system for swimming pools comprising water purification apparatus, means for circulating water from a swimming pool through the purification apparatus and back to the pool, including means for separating a fraction of the circulating water, means for introducing disinfectant into said separated fraction in a concentration suitable for foot disinfection, means for returning said water fraction containing said disinfectant to the circulating water, a foot bath and means for supplying said foot bath with water taken from said fraction after the introduction of said disinfectant.

2. A disinfecting system for swimming pools as set forth in claim 1, including means for crculating treated water from said fraction continuously through the foot bath.

3. A disinfecting system for swimming pools as set forth in claim 1, including means for varying the rate of flow of said fraction and thereby varying the concentration of disinfectant in the c foot bath.

4. A disinfecting system for swimming pools as set forth in claim 1, including means for continuously circulating the separated water fraction and meansv for intermittently supplying the foot bath with water taken from said fraction.

5. A disinfecting system for swimming pools comprising water purication apparatus, means for circulating water fromV the pool through the apparatus, and back to the pool comprising a v main circulating passage connected to the pool at spaced points, a pump for forcing circulating water through the passage, a filter in the passage through which the circulatingY water is passed,` a branch passage connected at its ends to the main passage, a foot bath, means for introducing water from the branch passage into the foot'bath and means for introducing disinfectant into the water which is in the foot'bath and for returning water containing disinfectant through the branch passage into the main passage.

6. A disinfecting system for swimming pools as set forth in claim 5, in which the water from the branch passage isY circulated continuously through the foot bath and including a pump arranged to return water from the foot bath to the main passage. l

7. A disinfecting system for swimming pools as set forth in claim 5, including means for adjusting the rate of disinfectant introduction in accordance with the requirements of swimming pool water purication, and means for adjusting the concentration of disinfectant inthe foot of said fraction to the foot bath.

bath in accordance with the antiseptic requirements of said bath by varying the rate of flow 8. A disinfecting system for swimming pools comprising water purification apparatus, means for circulating water from the pool through said apparatus and back to the pool comprising a main circulating passage connected to the pool at spaced points, a pump for circulating water through the passage, a filter in the passage through which the circulating water is passed, a branch passage connected at its ends to the main passage, means for forcing water from the main passage through the branch passage; a foot bath, means for introducing water from the branch passage into the foot bath, and means for introducing disinfectant into water which passes through the branch passage at a suitable point to maintain the foot bath charged with said disinfectant.

9. A method of purifying swimming pool water and providing an antiseptic foot bath in a single system which comprises circulating a stream of swimming pool water through a purification system, separating a fraction of the stream during circulation, introducing disinfectant into the separated fraction in a concentration suitable for foot disinfection, returning the fraction with the disinfectant distributed therein to the remainder of the stream, and supplying a foot bath with water containing disinfectant and taken from said fraction. y

10. A method Vof disinfecting swimming pool ywater as set forth in claim 9, in which'the separated water fraction and disinfectant are circulated continuously through the foot bath.

11. A method of disinfect-,ing swimming pool Water as set forth in claim 9, in which the concentration of antiseptic in the foot bath is adjusted by Varying the rate of flow of the fraction of the circulating stream.

12. A method of disinfecting swimming pool water as set forth inL claim 9, in which the rate of disinfectant introduction is adjusted in accordance with the requirements of the circulating stream to obtain proper swimming pool water purification, and the concentration of disinfectant in the foot bath is adjusted-to obtain the proper disinfectantconcentration for antiseptic foot treatment by adjustingV the yrate of fiowof the antiseptic and water vfraction to the foot bath.

13. A method of ydisinecting swimming pool maintaining the continuous circulation -of the separated fraction independently of` the foot bath, and periodically diverting a portion of said fraction and antiseptic into the foot bath.

ISABELLA B. ROMANS. 

